SACRAMENTO, CALIF – Dec. 1, 2011: The California Museum, home of the California Hall of Fame, partnered with Comcast to challenge California high school seniors to tell us how their dream would leave a lasting mark on the state, nation and the world at large.

Seeking out California’s next generation of trailblazers like former inductees Mark Zuckerberg, Walt Disney and Steve Jobs, the Dreamers Challenge Scholarship asked students to think creatively by submitting paintings, poems, video productions, music, essays or whatever format that allowed them to best answer the challenge in their own distinct voice. In response, The California Museum received 156 thought-provoking, imaginative entries from all over the state and a diverse group of students.

The Northern California Grand Prize winner is 17-year-old Tom Rydquist of Modesto, a senior at Fred C. Beyer High School. Tom incorporated his interests in photography and the environment to produce a video titled,  “Funding the American Dream: Helping California Lead the Way in Water Reclamation.” Detailing the impending water crisis in California, his entry proposed a fee on sewage utilities to create water-recycling programs.

The Southern California Grand Prize winner is 17-year-old Catherine Mitchell of Oceanside, a senior at Guajome Park Academy. Her essay, “Beauty 4 Life”, described how the widespread hunger and disease she encountered in Uganda inspired her to start a micro business to create sustainable income for poverty-stricken families.

Tom and Catherine will each receive a $5,000 scholarship plus travel and accommodations (along with a parental guardian) to accept their awards at the 2011 California Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m at Memorial Auditorium, located at 1515 J Street in Sacramento. In addition, the two winners and 20 honorable mentions will be posted on DreamersChallenge.org, along with their entries.

“Comcast is proud to once again aid The California Museum’s mission to educate and inspire students with California history by sponsoring the Dreamers Challenge scholarship,” said Curt Henninger, Comcast’s Senior Vice President for California. “Comcast supports education as well as building tomorrow’s leaders, and we’re pleased to partner with The
California Museum and honor these students, whose dreams will lead the Golden State into a promising future.”

The 2011 Dreamers Challenge honorable mention winners are:

Northern California

Southern California

While attending the 2011 California Hall of Fame, Catherine and Tom will receive their scholarship awards during the official State of California ceremony from Comcast’s Curt Henninger and First Lady Anne Brown. Immediately following, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. will induct the sixth class of Californians who have changed the world and made their own
mark on history including: moon explorer and astronaut Buzz Aldrin; surf rock legends the Beach Boys; Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn; community activist Father Gregory Boyle; entrepreneurs and philanthropists Doris and Donald Fisher; basketball superstar Earvin “Magic” Johnson; disability rights advocate Ed Roberts; guitar visionary Carlos Santana; celebrated contemporary novelist Amy Tan; and California Supreme Court Justice Roger Traynor. All living inductees and families of posthumous inductees are expected to attend.

As the exclusive multimedia sponsors, Comcast will air a live broadcast of the red carpet arrivals and induction ceremony on Comcast Hometown Network (channel 104 on Comcast systems), from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. across the state. The broadcast will also be streamed live on The California Museum’s web site at CaliforniaMuseum.org. Satellite coordinates for
the live feed will be made available for media interested in covering the broadcast.

To date, the 2011 California Hall of Fame presenting sponsors are Visit California and Comcast, exclusive multimedia sponsor.

For more information, including inductee biographies and press images, download the 2011 California Hall of Fame press kit at: http://www.CaliforniaMuseum.org/About/Press-center

About The California Museum

The California Museum – home of the California Hall of Fame – engages, educates and enlightens people about California’s rich history and its unique contribution to the world through ideas, innovation, art and culture. Through captivating, interactive and innovative experiences, the Museum seeks to inspire men, women and children to dream the California dream and dare to make their mark on history. Open Mon.-Sat. 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sun. 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Adults: $8.50, Students/Seniors: $7.00 with valid ID; Youth: 6-17: $6.00; Children 5 & under: free. For more information, please visit: CaliforniaMuseum.org

About Comcast Hometown Network:

Comcast Hometown Network (CHN) is a regional cable network produced by Comcast and available in the San Francisco Bay Area and Central California on Digital Channel 104. Available to more than 2 million homes in Northern and Central California as a part of Comcast’s commitment to the communities that it serves, Comcast Hometown Network is a 24/7 channel that includes original regional programming, Comcast Hometown Sports (CHS), and unique local content that you can’t get anywhere else. For more information, please visit: ComcastHometown.com